Quotes

Marvel Cinematic Universe

"Casting now is taking definitely a more open-eyed approach to it. I was cast in Thor and I’m cast as a Nordic god. If you know anything about the Nords, they don’t look like me but there you go. I think that’s a sign of the times for the future. I think we will see multi-level casting. I think we will see that and I think that’s good."

"I looked at the comic books actually because Heimdall, he’s a very central character and I wanted to reflect him as he is in the comic books."

"It was dope. It was an interesting genre of film to make. I had never done comic book stuff, so that was really great."

"It’s so epic, these huge sets were just amazing to look at. And they really pay attention to detail. When you read the comics, you see all the drawings, and to actually see them in real life, it’s like, “Whoa!”"

"I have a deal with the Marvel Studios team, a four-picture commitment. I’m sure I’ll be back in something cool."

"It's an extraordinary visual spectacular," "It's different from anything else I've done; but at the same time, it's been pointed out to me that here I am playing a central, solid figure again – the one that people should trust. Take Stringer or Luther – that seems to be a common denominator in the characters I play."

"When Kenneth asked me to be part of it, I did find myself questioning race," "But Kenneth hadn't even given that a thought. He just needed an actor who has presence and command, and felt that I fitted the bill."

"It was so refreshing – and a testament to him as an actor and director that his casting was genuinely colour blind. I feel very proud of being part of that movie."

"I'd just like to get to know him a bit more. Who is Heimdall? He guards the gate. Okay. Is there anything else? I don't know what is in the script because I haven't read it yet. But, the audience has responded to Asgard and wants to know more about who lives there and what it's about. I'm sure, if they do that, Heimdall will be featured more."

"In the new film we're going to get to know Heimdall the Asgardian a bit better, and we're going to get to know Asgard a bit better. I can't say too much, but the expansion of Thor in his world is going to be huge. My part was very small & functional in the first film, but I still felt very privileged to play him -- especially since Heimdall looks a certain way & has a Nordic lineage -- & here I was playing this character and bringing him to life in a different way. It felt quite groundbreaking to be a part of that."

"I’m in Avengers, and I’m doing a scene with Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston, and they’re like, [whispers] – ‘Aren’t you [meant to be] in Ibiza?’ That’s why I was p----- about my set yesterday. I really just wasn’t there. I was annoyed."

"It was really weird. I’d just done eight months in South Africa. I came to England and the day I came back I had to do reshoots on Thor 2. And in the actual scene my hair was different, my… I was like, ‘This is torture, man. I don’t want to do this.’ My agent said: ‘You have to, it’s part of the deal.’ I’m actually falling down from a spaceship, so they had to put me in harness in this green-screen studio. And in between takes I was stuck there, fake hair stuck on to my head with glue, this f------ helmet, while they reset. And I’m thinking: ‘24 hours ago, I was Mandela’. When I walked into the set the extras called me Madiba. I was literally walking in this man’s boots. [Within] six months, the crew, we were all so in love with this film we had made. I was him. I was Mandela, practically. Then there I was, in this stupid harness, with this wig and this sword and these contact lenses. It ripped my heart out."

"I don’t know where people got that, man. I was quite specifically talking about the comparison between playing Heimdall on one day, and playing Mandela on the next. That’s sloppy journalism, or just really bad misquoting. I have a great relationship with the Marvel team, and the character of Heimdall. People are really running with this thing like, 'Oh my God, he doesn’t want to be with Marvel anymore.' People thinking that comparing those roles means I don’t want to be with Marvel, well, that’s crazy."

"I don't think he cares, but I think he lives in his skin so much that he's well-lived and well-traveled. But he does have a mission."

"It was definitely a sort of like a, "Hm, should I be doing this?" because of the previous film. But, there was a new take on it and I personally know what I can bring to the table and I just felt that there was something there to work with. So, I believe that the second version of Ghost Rider has a completely different DNA. Just a different feeling and tempo -- and I'm part of that. So, hopefully, people will be forgiving."

"I don't think they're hesitant, no. I think that any preconceptions that they have from the original Ghost Rider is going to go in with them when they see this film. But, they're going to be pleasantly surprised on the way out, I think."

Trivia

He was considered, among others including Jamie Foxx, for the role of Luke Cage as early as 2003.